


(you want to) make a memory

by rikubraveheart



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Based on Marie’s confidant from P4G, Goro Has No Memories, Identity Issues, M/M, Past Abuse, Post-Canon, Temporary Amnesia, Velvet Room Attendant Akechi Goro, the fic is structured like a confidant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rikubraveheart/pseuds/rikubraveheart
Summary: Goro can’t remember anything before waking up in the Velvet Room, before Igor and Lavenza, couldn’t even remember his own name before he was told what it was. So, when Akira Kurusu shows up with the promise to help him remember his forgotten past, he can do nothing but follow him and his mysterious but familiar gaze as he takes him on a tour of every place he ever considered important to him.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62
Collections: Goro Big Bang 2020





	(you want to) make a memory

**Author's Note:**

> heyyyy here's my first fic for the goro big bang. had loads of fun writing this one. second part coming later today (tomorrow if exams decide to kick my ass but this is my posting day so it SHOULD be today). i did some last-minute changes that need revision. links to the art my wonderful artists made will be put here as soon as the pieces are posted!!
> 
> [lovely fanart by @MikiMikicchi!](https://twitter.com/MikiMikicchi/status/1353807876226248705). our time working together was short, but it was an utter delight. 
> 
> [and the second fanart by @childe_twt!](https://twitter.com/childe_twt/status/1354284287357407235?s=21)
> 
> my twitter: [@rikubraveheart](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart)
> 
> please do check out the other wonderful works for this event.

Goro doesn’t remember anything previous to waking up in the Velvet Room and meeting Igor and Lavenza.

He _knows_ there was something before. There’s a constant whisper at the back of his head telling him there’s something, or someone, he’s forgetting. But for him, everything started in the Velvet Room.

It hasn’t been long since he woke up here. Or, well, he doesn’t think so. Time is different within these prison walls. 

“Everything will make sense soon,” is Lavenza’s answer each time he asks.

He’s starting to grow impatient. He doesn’t know who he is, only has his name, Goro Akechi, to go by, or his purpose in this life. And if he gets one more cryptic answer from Igor, he’s going to end up punching him right on his oversized nose.

Goro asks one more time, expecting the same answer as the other times.

“Everything will start making sense tonight,” is Lavenza’s answer this time.

This surprises him. He doesn’t really know what _tonight_ means (again, there’s next to no sense of time in there) but he figures _tonight_ is a lot closer than _soon_. 

He still doesn't know how long that is, though. If they’ve waited this long to tell him anything, there must be a reason. What _exactly_ is happening tonight that will answer the question Goro has been asking himself?

All he can do is wait. The time spent in the Velvet Room always drags on, there’s nothing to do in here and he’s always bored out of his mind, but his impatience is making it pass slower than ever.

He taps his foot, looks around the room, waits, and waits and waits.

And then, finally—

Someone appears in one of the cells.

Goro can’t see his face yet, but he can tell he’s a boy and they look to be of a similar age. He looks around, disoriented, and it reminds Goro of the first time he had woken up in the room.

“Greetings, Trickster,” says Igor.

The boy lifts his head and—

Goro’s heart stops. The boy is incredibly handsome, yes, but it’s not just that. For a moment, he felt like he almost recognized him. Like he could almost tell what his name was. 

Did he _know_ him, or was it a mere delusion caused by his desperation to know who he is?

“Igor, Lavenza,” says the boy. Not his first time in the Velvet Room, then. “What am I doing here?”

He doesn’t seem to have noticed Goro yet, disoriented as he is.

Lavenza looks about to launch herself into an explanation when the boy turns his head and finally sees him. As their eyes meet, he feels that pang of recognition again—and the boy’s eyes open wide.

In his shock, he only manages to say one word. “Goro…?”

That confirms his hopes. Whoever that boy is —Igor had called him the Trickster, whatever that meant— knows who he is, and may even help him figure it out. 

The boy takes a step forward and is on the threshold of the cell door, seemingly in a dream-like state. “How is this possible?”

The question is directed towards the master of the Velvet Room.

“It’s related to the reason we’ve called you here today,” Igor replies.

“We apologize for summoning you so suddenly, but we thought this would be of much interest as it is for us,” Lavenza says. “What we have to ask of you today is to help us give Goro Akechi his second chance.”

The boy’s eyes open wider, if possible, and he lifts his gaze from Lavenza to look back at him. “Second chance?”

He sighs. At least he seems as confused as he is.

Lavenza nods. “In order to prevent him from falling victim to the fate the God of Control had dictated for him, we brought him to the Velvet Room as one of us. Regrettably, in doing so all his memories were wiped away.”

“Wait,” says the boy. “Does that mean you don’t know who I am?”

The question is directed at him, this time. “I’m afraid not. Although you do seem to know who _I_ am, so that’s progress already.”

The boy’s face falls. “Akira. My name’s Akira Kurusu,” he says. He half hopes that the name will spark something within him the way seeing him for the first time had, but nothing happens. Kurusu seems as disappointed about it as he is.

Kurusu reluctantly looks back at Igor. “What do I have to do?”

The determination on his voice warms Goro’s heart. He doesn’t know who this boy is, or how they know each other, but knowing that he’s so determined to help him remember somehow soothes his anxiety.

It also makes him wonder how close they were, if he wants to help him out so badly.

“This is unprecedented,” says Igor. “There was someone, not too long ago, who tried to remember her past, but her situation was unlike any other as well.”

“Will telling him about his past be enough?” asks Akira. 

Lavenza shakes her head. “Although it may give him the knowledge of who he used to be, it will not return his memories,” she explains.

“So, basically, you guys don’t know any way to help him,” sighs Kurusu. 

He seems lost in his thoughts for a few seconds and then walks in his direction until he stands in front of him. Then, he extends his hand. “Let’s make a deal,” he says. “I will help you recover your memories, and you have to promise me that, when you do, you won’t run away.”

Kurusu’s words confuse him, but the situation feels somewhat familiar. This alone is enough to convince him that Kurusu knows what he’s doing.

He takes Kurusu’s hand and shakes it. “Deal,” he says.

A smirk appears on Kurusu’s face, and it’s so painfully familiar that he can’t even seem to get concerned by it.

His days are not going to be boring anymore, that’s for sure.

 _I am_ _thou_ _, thou art I…_ _  
_ _Thou hast acquired a_ _new_ _vow._

 _It shall_ _become_ _the wings of rebellion_ _  
_ _that_ _breaketh_ _thy chains of captivity._

 _With the_ _birth_ _of the Judgement Persona,_ _  
_ _I have obtained the winds of blessing that_ _  
_ _shall lead to freedom and new_ _power_ _..._

 **Rank up!** **  
** **Judgement Arcana: Rank 1.**

* * *

Goro waits outside the Velvet Room at night, at the entrance situated in a place called Kichijoji, just as Kurusu asked of him.

It’s the first time he sees the outside of the Velvet Room, and it almost makes him wonder why he hadn’t gone out before. The answer is simple, though. Even if he had asked he’s certain he wouldn’t have been allowed.

The people walk by, barely noticing him standing there awkwardly. He knows they can’t see him, even if they can’t see the door to the Velvet Room.

He then spots Kurusu in the crowd, walking in his direction.

“Yo,” he greets him.

“Evening,” he says in return. “May I ask why you requested for my presence here today?”

The smirk he had seen the day before is back on Kurusu’s face. “To help you remember, of course,” he says. Goro waits for him to elaborate. “Long story short, I spent all night Googling stuff about amnesia online and, sure, none of the sources I found talk about _magical_ amnesia and not all of them are _that_ reliable but… one of the things that were mentioned the most was putting the patient, in this case, you, in a familiar environment. Plus, this always works in movies, so...” 

Goro hums in acknowledgement, ignoring the last part of Kurusu’s statement. “I assume I visited this place regularly, then?” he asks.

Kurusu nods. “We spent a lot of our time here,” he says. “I don’t want to overwhelm you, though, so we’re going to go to one place at a time.”

He follows Kurusu through the busy streets, wondering how many times he must’ve walked them before. But, as much as he tries, he remembers none of it. 

Kurusu walks confidently towards one establishment in particular. Goro looks up to the sing and reads the bright neon words on it.

DARTS&BILLIARDS  
PENGUIN SNIPER

“So, does it look familiar?” asks Kurusu, a hopeful look on his face. Goro shakes his head. “Ah, well, I guess it couldn’t have been that easy. Let’s go inside.”

The inside of the establishment is more or less what he had been expecting, from the name. There are a few billiard tables and darts targets spread all over the room. 

“At least I seem to remember correctly what darts and billiards are,” he says, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He had been fearing that not only his memories of who he is were gone, but that he had also forgotten basic knowledge of the world. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Kurusu talks to the receptionist and pays for both of them. He’s about to complain when he realizes he has no money to speak of.

“So, what do you want to try first?” he asks him.

Goro shrugs. He doesn’t particularly care. “Did I have any preference back then?” he asks.

Kurusu thinks his answer for a second. “I think you always did enjoy billiards a little bit more, if only because you were better than me at it and always ended up winning. I caught up quite fast, though.”

The melancholic smile on Kurusu’s face makes him want to remember even more. He wants to know what kind of memory could provoke such a fond, but at the same time sad, smile on the other boy’s face. He wants to know what _he_ thought of their time together.

So they settle for billiards. He feels clumsy taking the cue stick at first. As the game progresses, though, he eases more and more into it, and it almost feels natural. Like he’s been doing it his whole life.

“Oh man, you’re winning already,” says Kurusu. And he realizes that it’s true. At some point during the game, he’d taken the advantage over his companion.

“I must still have my muscle memory,” he replies. It’s not quite the same as getting his memories back, but just the feeling of his muscle memory working this well makes him even more hopeful that Kurusu’s plan will work.

They continue playing, and Goro decides to strike a conversation. “Kurusu, how well do you know me, exactly?” he asks.

Kurusu makes a questioning sound, his gaze still fixated on the balls on the table. “As in, how do I know you will actually be able to make this work? Why did Igor and Lavenza ask _you_ specifically?”

The boy now looks up to him, and there’s something he can’t quite place in his eyes, hidden by his glasses. “I’d say I know you pretty well,” he answers. “I’d even go as far as to say that I’m the only person in this world who’s seen every side of you you have to offer?”

His gaze is intense, and it almost makes Goro nervous. 

“This, of course, goes both ways.” He keeps talking, now with an easy smile to lower the tension that had suddenly formed between them. “You know me pretty well, too. Or at least, you did.”

As Kurusu scratches the back of his neck, he now more than ever wishes he had his memories. If what he’s saying is true, and he does have that kind of connection with him, he wants to _feel_ it, not just be aware of it.

“For how long have we known each other then…?” Goro asks. 

“Not for long, actually,” Kurusu replies and subsequently launches himself into an explanation about how they met.

It’s quite curious to hear about himself like he was someone else. He can’t remember anything of what Kurusu is saying, yet he is a character in his story. It’s like he’s an outsider to himself.

Kurusu’s story of how they met at a TV station reveals him some information not only about the boy in front of him but also about himself. He now knows he was some kind of minor celebrity, famous enough to be on TV. He also knows that Kurusu and he hadn’t known each other for more than a few months before he woke up in the Velvet Room.

As the other boy finishes his story, Goro hits the last ball which enters smoothly into one of the pockets.

“Looks like I win,” he says. “Maybe next time I’ll use my left.”

He doesn’t know where that sentence came from. But then he notices he’s been using his right hand the whole time, despite being left-handed. Suddenly, he has a sense of deja vu, with Kurusu looking at him, mouth agape.

“Did you remember something?” Kurusu asks frantically.

“Not really, but I did have some kind of deja vu,” he replies.

Kurusu smiles. “Well, it’s not much, but at least now we know we’re on the right track.”

For the first time in who knows how long, he feels himself smiling a little. “Yeah,” he says. “Yes, we are.”

**Rank up!  
** **Judgement Arcana: Rank 2**

* * *

With the good results they had gotten the night before, Goro has high hopes for tonight’s meeting with Kurusu.

They’re in Kichijoji again, and Kurusu seems happier. It’s rubbing off on him, too. Kurusu’s face is the same as ever, impassible and almost unreadable, but the aura around him is different from yesterday’s.

They walk side by side, a comfortable silence set between them. He feels at ease with Kurusu, like he doesn’t need words for him to understand Goro.

The moment they enter the building, soft jazz music reaches his ears and a sense of nostalgia strikes him. It’s immediate, and it surprises him so much he almost gets dizzy. Kurusu just smiles at him, like he’s not surprised it happened.

Before he has time to recover, the man who seems to be the owner of the local talks to him.

“Akechi-kun! Glad to see you around here again, I was starting to think you wouldn’t come back,” he says.

Now, Goro doesn’t really remember anything about him, even if the sense of nostalgia that still lingers is enough confirmation that he _did_ know him, but he figures “sorry, I got my memories wiped out and I don’t really know who I am anymore so I didn’t even remember I came here regularly” wouldn’t be a good answer.

So he simply says, “Sorry, I’ve had tons of work lately.”

Kurusu gives him a pleased look, so he figures he said something right. “Yes, I figured,” keeps talking the man, a smile on his face. “That’s why I told this guy right here to bring you around again, since he’s the only person you’ve ever brought here with you.”

That’s an interesting piece of information, he thinks. He’s starting to form an idea in his head about what this place must have meant to him, and that combined with Kurusu’s words yesterday are making him question what their relationship used to be even further than he already did.

“You’re welcome,” says Kurusu, in a joking tone.

Kurusu directs him to one of the tables, in which they sit as they hear the music play and drink their mocktails. He can almost recall the lyrics of the song.

“Is what that man said accurate?” Goro asks.

Kurusu looks at him, now paying attention to his words instead of the music. “Ah, yes. You told me you’d never taken anyone here before me.”

He tilts his head to the side and squints at the boy sitting beside him. “Why?”

“I told you yesterday, didn’t I?” Kurusu says, smiling at him. “I know you, and you know me. We simply understood each other.”

Goro now knows that there’s a lot more to it than that, but he lets it go for the moment. He has plenty of time to figure it out, if he doesn’t remember it before. 

It’s Kurusu who talks now. “You loved this place,” he says. “To you, it was probably one of the few safe havens you had in this world. It meant a lot to me when you brought me here, even if I didn’t say it at the time.”

He appreciates Kurusu’s honesty, and so they keep talking about some of the stuff they did or talked about when they used to come here. Kurusu tells him about his job as a detective, his love for philosophy, and a myriad of other things that fascinate him.

Which is kind of screwed up, when you think about it, the fact that his own life sounds fascinating to him.

There’s not much more to do in that place, but he’s content to sit there in Kurusu’s company and listen to the soft music. Both things calm him down, soothe him. He’s never felt so much at home like he feels now. But, he supposes, there’s not much competition, since the only other place he spends his time in is a cold prison with two people who refuse to tell him anything worthwhile. 

Ever since he woke up in their room, they’ve done nothing but confuse him. At least they brought Kurusu to him, but in the end, the boy is the one doing everything for him. Although he _did_ seem grateful for whatever reason, and they did mention a “second chance”, so there’s probably more to that as well.

That’s when it strikes him.

“How did I exactly disappear, anyway?” he asks. “I can’t simply vanish and appear in the Velvet Room.”

Kurusu tenses up instantly. “That’s not important right now,” he says.

He eyes him with scrutiny. He wants to argue, to tell him that they’ll get nowhere if he keeps denying him important pieces of information, but Kurusu has gotten so pale suddenly that he decides against it, if only for the other boy’s sake.

He has an idea, anyway. There’s not a lot of things that could get such a strong reaction out of someone.

Instead, he asks for more details about his life. Those details, albeit meaningless in the great scheme of things, are starting to give him a sense of identity. 

For now, he pushes back the sense of helplessness and frustration over not really remembering anything and listens to Kurusu happily recall some of their times together.

**Rank up!**

**Judgement Arcana: Rank 3**

* * *

Today, Kurusu is carrying a bag. The next location he takes him to is a lot more typical. It’s a café, and it doesn’t look like there’s anything unusual about it. It’s not too crowded, having some of the tables free to sit on.

This time he goes straight to the point.

“So? What’s so special about this place?” he asks.

Kurusu smiles at him. “Ah, well. This one isn’t quite as important as the others, but I thought it’d be a nice change of pace. We used to come here from time to time.”

Goro hums in acknowledgement. He wants to say it feels familiar, but it’s such an unexceptional place that it might as well be the fact that it looks just like any other café you could find.

He wonders what he could ask about today. Maybe his family? Kurusu might not know much about that subject, although he did say they knew each other well so there’s still some hope.

Before he can ask anything again Kurusu hands him the bag he’d seen him carrying earlier.

“What’s this?” Goro asks.

“A present for you,” Kurusu answers. Goro doesn’t know if he likes the mischievous smile on his face right now.

Goro opens the bag and… well, he almost doesn’t know how to react.

“A cleaning robot…?” he asks, confused.

Kurusu barks out a laugh. “This is mostly a joke, although it does have some significance,” he explains. “I used to buy you presents, back then. For some reason, the cleaning robot seemed to be the one you liked the most. Probably because you lived alone and the prospect of having something to do the cleaning for you must’ve been exciting.”

Goro wants to question him about why he gave him presents, because the way Kurusu had phrased it made it seem like it was a common occurrence. Instead, he asks about the last part of his statement.

“I lived alone? No family?” he asks.

Kurusu’s face darkens.

“Your mother… she isn’t around anymore,” he explains. There’s a painful pang on Goro’s heart, so he knows his mother must have been important to him. “As for your father… well, your relationship wasn’t a good one.”

Kurusu stops talking, but before Goro can press him further someone approaches them.

“Akechi-kun?” asks a girl.

He turns to Kurusu with a questioning look, but he simply shrugs. 

“Sorry, uh, do I know you?” he asks.

“Oh! No, sorry. I just used to be a big fan,” the girl says. 

He gives Kurusu another look, but he just gestures to him to roll with it. He sighs, irritated.

“Well, I’m flattered,” he says. The girl smiles so he knows he must have said something right.

“I was wondering if I could get an autograph?” she asks. Goro swallows hard. He didn’t even remember he was a known figure, so he doesn’t know how he’ll fare if he tries to sign an autograph he didn’t know he had.

Before he can say anything the girl already put a piece of paper in front of him. 

“I really enjoyed hearing you talk about your cases! I especially loved your speculation about the Phantom Thieves, even if they did turn out to be fake,” she exclaims. The mention of the Phantom Thieves, whatever they are, does strike a sense of familiarity in him.

She hands him a pen.

Goro takes it and, almost trembling, just lets his hand do the work and pray it comes out alright.

Turns out he might not have memories but at least his muscle memory seems to be working just fine, because he signs his name with no problem. By the reaction of both Kurusu and his fangirl, it must look like it should.

“Thank you!” she says. “I actually was wondering why you decided to retire from—”

“We were a bit occupied here, you see,” says Kurusu, cutting her off. “So could you leave, please?”

That’s… a little bit off-putting, and the girl’s irritated expression doesn’t make it better. But she leaves, so it at least does the trick.

“I swear to God, your fans seem to lurk around this place,” says Kurusu. “This isn’t the first time this happens.”

“And I have fans because…?” he asks.

Kurusu scratches the back of his neck. “You were a celebrity, an ace detective,” he explains. “You were involved in a pretty big case that skyrocketed your popularity. That’s how we met, in fact.”

He nods. “I suspected as much. Was this case related to whatever the Phantom Thieves were?”

Kurusu tenses up, but Goro decides not to comment on it. “Yes, you were investigating a group of criminals called the Phantom Thieves,” he says. There's silence for a few seconds. “I guess there’s no point in hiding it, so I’ll just say it. I was the leader of said group.”

Goro is startled, not because this is a surprising fact (he had suspected something of the like upon seeing Kurusu tense up) but because he hadn’t expected him to admit it that easily. 

Something about the aquarium is getting to him, surely.

He realizes it must be because, before this, it must’ve been harder for him to get Kurusu to admit to being a part of this group. Him being a detective starts being more believable.

“I’ll tell you more some other day, ‘kay?” Kurusu says. “I think that’s enough information to process for one day.”

Goro wants to argue, but the light headache that he’s starting to have tells him that Kurusu is right.

“I’ll be waiting for tomorrow, then,” Goro says.

And with that, they part ways once again.

**Rank up!  
** **Judgement Arcana: Rank 4**

* * *

Today, Goro is going to get some answers.

He’s frankly starting to feel like Kurusu is _patronising_ him, and he’s tired of it. He’s somehow already acquainted with that feeling (not only Kurusu, but Igor and Lavenza too), and he knows it must have happened in his old life because it makes him so _angry_.

It’s been a while since he’s been this angry.

And, for the life of him, he can’t figure out why Kursu would want to take him to _the aquarium_ of all possible places.

Yes, he’s irritated. And he doesn’t even know why, it’s not like yesterday was such a big deal.

For some reason, Kurusu seems nervous today. He wonders if he notices the tension in the air as well.

“You don’t mean to tell me _an aquarium_ is a place I used to frequent,” Goro says. Because, really, he might not remember his past but he’d like to think he knows his tastes and the aquarium isn’t it.

There’s a light blush on Kurusu’s cheeks. “We just came here once,” he explains. “Apparently a coworker had given you a couple of tickets and you didn’t want them to go to waste.”

That makes a lot more sense.

Once they’re inside the building he can admit something is soothing about the place, especially because there doesn’t seem to be a lot of people there that day except for some school children.

He likes the way the lighting of the Aquarium reflects on Kurusu’s face.

Kurusu is talking mindlessly about something, but he can’t care to listen right now. Which is stupid, because the whole reason he’s here is to get some answers, but he’s found himself enchanted by Kurusu’s expression as he talks.

He’s noticed before, the way his face lights up as he talks about them, but he’s never allowed himself to pay any mind to it before.

Something about the aquarium is getting to him, surely.

“Last time we were here we ran into an acquaintance of mine,” he hears Kurusu say once he pays attention again. “I’m pretty sure she thought we were on a date.”

“Were we?” he asks.

He’s not stupid. In fact, given he was a detective, he’d like to think he’s good at picking things up. Everything that has been going on with Kurusu, the places he’s taken him to and the stories he’s told him about them, could easily be interpreted as romantic.

The fact that he doesn’t seem to _mind_ is also a pretty good indication that there must have been something there.

Kurusu starts to fidget a bit. “I mean… maybe,” he says. “I’d like to think it was.”

Goro gives him a questioning look. The other boy just shrugs. “It’s complicated,” he tells him.

“Does it have to do with the Phantom Thieves?” he asks.

The way Kurusu flinches tells him he’s right. “Yes, but this is not the place to talk about it,” he says, frantically. “Anyone could overhear it.”

Goro has known Kurusu for long enough to know that this paranoia is just an act. He somehow knows him better than he knows himself, at the moment.

“Wasn’t one of your hideouts just… one of the accessways in Shibuya? It doesn’t seem like you care a lot about being overheard” he says. And, oh. Of course, he’d remember something as irrelevant as that, of all things. “Well, what a surprise.”

Kurusu snorts. “I’m not even surprised that you’d remember something _specifically_ to snap back at me,” he says. “Fair enough. Yes, back then you were investigating the Phantom Thieves whilst regularly hanging out with me, the leader, and you always suspected me, which complicated any kind of relationship beyond a friendly rivalry.”

They stay revelling in the silence of the aquarium for a while, Goro taking in the new information and Kurusu wondering if he should say anything else.

To know that his relationship with Kurusu had been this complicated explains a lot of Goro’s complicated feelings towards him. It’s clear now that Kurusu had sought some kind of romantic connection to him, hadn’t even seemed embarrassed to admit it, but had it been mutual?

He thinks that must have been.

Goro’s objective for the day had been to get his answers, or at least part of them, once and for all. What Kurusu had told him could barely be considered the crumbs of that. But something about the other boy’s vulnerable position at that moment made it difficult for him to push for any more information.

“The Phantom Thieves were a group that went around stealing criminal’s hearts and forcing them to confess their crimes,” explains Kurusu. Goro turns to look at him. “There’s no danger in telling you that, considering, it’s something everyone knows. You were dead set on stopping them.”

It’s a weird concept, but he’s seen the Velvet Room and the way no one else seems to notice the entrance no matter where it opens so he supposes it could be possible. Besides, something in his gut tells him it’s true.

Goro nods, grateful for Kurusu’s attempt to tell him more without risking himself. “Next time I’ll take you to LeBlanc, I can tell you more without putting us in any danger there,” he explains. 

“Thank you,” Goro says sincerely.

It would be his moment to go back to the Velvet Room. They’re done there, Kurusu isn’t gonna say anything else for the day and they’ve been in the aquarium longer than he’d like. 

But that’s when Kurusu takes Goro’s hand into his and, well, for Goro, that’s more than enough of a reason to stay there with him a while more.

He doesn’t know how long it passes, how much time they spend looking at the same fish tank, but he can barely seem to care. He basks into Kurusu’s presence, enjoying every second, feeling the warmth of his hand on his.

When they finally part ways once again, the absence of Kurusu’s presence is more noticeable than ever.

**Rank up!  
** **Judgement Arcana: Rank 5**

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! once again here's [my twitter](https://twitter.com/rikubraveheart).


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